Minnesota Moose problems

[farmer2009]

See on the news this morning that the Moose population in Minnesota was in danger. I know there are several here from Minnesota and was wondering what y'all knew about it.

 

[Western]

In danger from what? low numbers?

 

[motownbrowne]

Yep, declining populations. It's a mystery so to speak. Minnesota is the southern edge of their range, and the climate is a changing. Hope they get it figured out.

 

[farmer2009]

In danger from what? low numbers?

I think so didn't catch all of the story. But they said something about it could be the end for them. And then went onto blame 4 feet of snow. I was just wondering what was up.

 

[CalG]

I "heard" that it was some sort of infection that targets the brain.

Not sure of details, but we have it here in Vermont too. A worry to the G&F folks.

 

[EarPlug]

Moose management and research: Minnesota DNR

 

[deerseeker001]

I wonder if its something like cwd.

 

[Baby Grand]

We had one in our woods for awhile. A youngster who had strayed too far south of it's natural range. She got brainworm and had to be put down by a DEP "harvester". The brainworm parasite is spread in the turds of our overabundant deer population and gets ingested by the moose when they browse.

 

[teejk]

White-tailed deer and moose do not co-exist. Forget about "Bambi"...white-tails are like rats, are highly adaptable and tend to expand their ranges when over populated (like black bears). They carry a brain worm that is harmless to them but fatal to moose. And then some experiment was conducted to re-introduce wolves into the great lake states. I think Minnesota is about 400% over-goal on wolves because of on-going litigation from animal rights activists. Back to bears...they are omnivores and will certainly eat a moose calf. In Wisconsin the bear population was estimated way too low for decades and the population has since exploded (and they have been seen almost to the Illinois border now, some 300 miles south of what was considered their southern boundary. With better technology, our annual "kill" quota is now more than the estimated total population 20 years ago. So a lot of factors. Minnesota has never been known as a white-tailed deer Utopia but I suspect they have more now. I bet their bear population is up also. And then bring in the wolves.

 

[tcartwri]

I know you guys are going to jump all over the premise of this article, but I can confirm first hand the spread of ticks and parasites into southern Canada, where they used to be fairly rare.

Rapid-climate-changes-turn-north-woods-into-moose-graveyard/